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PMAT 319.
Chapter 4: Re ections.

De nition: Let m be a line in R2 . The re ection in the line m is the function m : R2 ! R2

de ned by
P if P 2 m;
m (P ) =
Q if P 2
= m and Q is the point so that m is the perpendicular bisector of P Q.

We note that:
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(i) m is a non-identity involution; that is, m 2 G, m 6= i and m = i.
(ii) m xes exactly the points on m; that is, m (P ) = P () P 2 m.
(iii) For any line l, m (l) = l () l = m or l ? m.
(iv) If the line m has the equation ax + by + c = 0 then
2a(ax+by+c)
m (x; y) = x a2 +b2
; x 2b(ax+by+c)
a2 +b2
.
De nition: An isometry of R2 is a transformation of R2 which preserves distance; that
is,

(P ) (Q) = P Q for all P; Q 2 R2 .

It can be shown that isometries preserve collinearity, betweeness, midpoints, angle

measure, perpendicularity.
Theorem: The set I of all isometries of R2 is a group.
Proof:

De nition: Let S be a subset of R2 .

A point of symmetry of S is a point P so that P (S) = S.
A line of symmetry of S is a line m so that m (S) = S.
If P is a point of symmetry of S, we say that S is symmetrical about the point P .
If m is a line of symmetry of S, we say that S is symmetrical about the line m.
A symmetry of S is an isometry so that (S) = S.
The set IS of all symmetries of S is a group, which is called the symmetry group of S.